


Night Counsel

by sophisticus



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 06:38:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12102921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophisticus/pseuds/sophisticus
Summary: Whether it's from an unwanted mark on the hand to lyrium withdrawals, even the highest tiers of the Inquisition need a shoulder to lean on now and then.





	Night Counsel

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt day 6 of Cullavellan Week 2017 - Support  
> http://cullavellanheaven.tumblr.com/post/164067262368/cullavellan-week-2017

Delilah jerked awake, gasping for air. It was too hot, too _restricting_ -

She tore at the blankets, wound tight around her by her thrashing. Sweat beaded at her brow and coated her skin in a film, but the floor felt ice cold against her bare feet as she stumbled out of bed. Her toe hit the foot of her bedside table and she swore as she pitched forward, but her left hand grabbed the edge of the table to steady herself.

The moment her palm hit the corner of the wood, agony flared in her hand, arching up her bones to her elbow. “ _Fuck_ ,” she spat. She clutched at her wrist as the Anchor sputtered on her palm, dimly illuminating the huge room with green light. Now she remembered what had awoken her: she’d been dreaming about Adamant Fortress again, the nightmare demon, being stranded in the Fade, and the Anchor had flared, jerking her abruptly back to consciousness.

The Anchor in question throbbed once more, drawing a hiss of pain, before it finally subsided. The glow faded down to a faint, shimmering line on her palm, as if it itself were a tiny rift. Delilah finally stood upright, despite the lingering weakness of her legs. It had been months since the Anchor last hurt like this, but this was as bad as it had been when the she’d first received it.

She strode to her balcony and pushed open the glass door. The cold, night mountain air cooled the sweat from her skin immediately, raising goosebumps on her bare arms and legs. She rubbed her hands over her arms, idly watching her breath rise in front of her like a cloud.

After a minute, successfully cooled off, she wrapped a robe around herself and headed downstairs. She was fully awake now, she might as well get some work done. She made her way silently into the grand hall, dimly lit by torches flickering low in their sconces. Judging from the moonlight filtering through the tall stained glass windows, it had to be the early hours of the morning.

Josephine’s office was similarly empty. Delilah continued down the hall and pushed open the door to the war room. She’d just stepped inside when she stopped short – someone was already in the room, leaning over the war table. Behind her, the door hinges squeaked softly as the door slowed in its arc.

The figure jumped at the sound and turned to face her. “Delilah!” he exclaimed. Cullen stepped forward, away from the table. “What are you doing awake at this hour?”

She pulled her robe close around herself and moved towards the table. “I couldn’t sleep. I’m sorry if I bothered you,” she said softly.

He waved her concern away. “Nonsense, you could never bother me. Are you alright? You look pale.”

She bit her lip, but showed him her left palm. In the torchlight, they could both see her tanned skin was red and chapping around the faintly glowing mark. “It’s been hurting again,” she confessed. “It woke me.”

Cullen’s cool fingers slid over her hand, soothing the irritated skin. “How long has this been going on?”

She hesitated before answering. “It’s been getting steadily worse since we defeated Corypheus.”

The commander’s frown deepened. “This has been going on for nearly a year and you didn’t tell anybody?”

“I didn’t want to worry anybody,” Delilah said evasively. Her hand slid from his grasp and she leaned over the table the same way she’d found him when she’d come in. “There’s still so much for us all to do, you can’t afford to be distracted because of me.”

Cullen’s weight settled comfortably behind her, and he slid his arms around her waist. His chin rested on her shoulder, stubble scraping gently against her cheek and neck. “To be honest, you’re always distracting,” he murmured. “But if you’re in pain, you should tell us. You’ve relied upon us for nearly three years now, you can rely on us now as well.”

Delilah sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry,” she apologized. She turned, still in his arms, and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He turned his head and caught her lips with his own in a tender kiss. She hummed contentedly. “What about you? You don’t have magic embedded in your hand, why’re you up so late?” she asked.

The smile slid from his face. “Ah. While we’re being honest, I’ve been having more nightmares recently,” he admitted.

“Withdrawal?”

“Yes. I’d been better for a while, but I fear I’m in a slump again.”

Delilah pulled him into a hug. “Is this where I echo your words about ‘if you’re in pain, you should tell us’?” she teased. “If you’re having a tough time, you ought to ease back on your workload. Take a day or two to recover. You’ve been working so hard recently, you deserve it.”

“Perhaps you’re right.  You usually are,” he chuckled quietly. “I’ll think on it. You ought to get back to bed, you have that meeting in the morning, remember?”

“Bah. Bann Gurren can stand to wait,” she said breezily. “He made a thinly veiled insult about my ‘sharp hearing’ in his letter to Josephine, referencing my ‘knife’ ears, I’m sure. I could stand to knock his ego down a peg or two.”

“You know you’ve got to make this meeting go well,” he chastised gently. “We need Ferelden’s favor to keep them from trying to dissolve the Inquisition.”

“Creators, it’s your mouth moving but Josephine’s words coming out,” Delilah exclaimed, and they shared a quiet laugh. “Come on, I’m getting tired again. Come to bed with me?”

Cullen kissed her again, slowly, and this time his hands slid down from her hips towards her rear, earning a giggle from her. “Is that an invitation?” he murmured against her mouth.

She smiled, and nipped his lower lip playfully. “I’ll think about it.”

0


End file.
